Srikanth
With COVID cases still peeking up the horizon since its birth in 2019, working from offices is still not a priority for most organizations. As we venture into this murky post-pandemic world, most American workforce continues to work remotely.
Various surveys have confirmed that remote working offers huge benefits in various ways to workers.
Before the pandemic struck, businesses believed that an estimated 38% workforce would be working remotely within the next five years. Now they are putting the same figure at an astonishing 58% workforce in the coming five years. This statistic is according to a survey conducted by Upwork.
However, if you’re not careful enough, this comfortable work environment can become a breeding ground for various sophisticated cyberattacks on your company’s sensitive data through your system or network.
Common Cyber Threats
A cyber threat is a malicious attack from an individual or an organization that damages or steals confidential data or disrupts digital life for its targets. A recent 2020 Consumer Threat Landscape Report from Bitdefender points out that ransomware attacks grew by an astonishing 485% in 2020 as against 2019.
They can come in various types & forms. Let’s get to know some key cyber threats.
Malware:
Malware is malicious software that can come in the form of spyware, ransomware, trojans, viruses, and worms. It gets installed onto your system if you click on malicious links while surfing the web or if an infected device is connected to your system.
Once installed, it can block access to critical components of your network, cause damage to your system and start acquiring confidential information.
Phishing:
Phishing is a type of attack in which you get tricked into believing a fake set-up is authentic and give out your sensitive information to hackers. The most common types include phishing emails, fake websites that mimic real ones, and fake payment gateways or social media login pages.
Ransomware:
It is a type of malware that, once installed, encrypts stated files on a device. It renders that data and any systems that rely on that data unusable. Post this, cyber-criminals will demand a monetary ransom in exchange for the decryption key.
Zero-Day Exploit:
Cybercriminals are always on the lookout to exploit any possible vulnerabilities in apps and software. If they can locate and use a loophole in any software before the developer can release a patch to fix it, it counts as a zero-day exploit.
DoS and DDoS Attacks:
A denial-of-service (DoS) attack overloads a targeted server with numerous uncalled requests rendering a website or resource unavailable. Similarly, a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack is a type of DoS attack that increases its intensity manifold by using multiple computers to flood a targeted resource, thus taking it down for the actual users and causing losses to the stakeholders.
SQL Injections:
Cybercriminals can inject SQL scripts into databases through malicious links. Once injected, they gain access to the database and can view, change or delete any data stored in the SQL database.
Man in the Middle:
As the name suggests, the cybercriminal will place himself between any two-party communication in these attacks, usually in public Wi-Fi networks or through apps. They would then scan all the communication, filter out any confidential or sensitive information from your communication data, & use it to their advantage.
Cryptojacking:
Hackers can place malicious scripts on your devices, including laptops, desktops, mobiles, and even servers, through which they can mine cryptocurrencies without your knowledge. It is called Cryptojacking attacks.
Drive-by Download Attacks:
These attacks are due to malicious programs that install onto your devices without your consent & then put them under threat. It also includes unintentional downloads or even pre-bundled software on your device that can pose a threat in any manner.
Password Attacks:
Through these attacks, cybercriminals attempt to retrieve your passwords so they can get into your secured accounts by various means.
Choosing The Right Cybersecurity Provider
The best defense against evolving cyber threats is to install the right cybersecurity solution on all your devices that connect to the Internet. They are designed to ward off all types of malware & other common cyber threats from your system and protect you against them at all times.
Bitdefender is one of the leading cybersecurity providers that effectively protects all your devices against sophisticated cyber threats. It works by eliminating cyber threats and protecting data & privacy, making it a cybersecurity expert. The company takes a holistic approach when safeguarding you against looming threats by protecting your data and privacy.
It offers a real-time data protection feature that works against all types of e-threats, including Viruses, Ransomware, Zero-Day Exploit, Rootkits, and Spyware. Furthermore, it also has Multi-Layer Ransomware Protection, Web Attack Prevention, Anti-Phishing, Antispam & Anti-Fraud capabilities for complete protection.
Bitdefender Total Security is the most popular and widely used antivirus program to keep your devices safe. Are you a Bitdefender user planning to renew or extend your Bitdefender subscription? You can check for the Bitdefender Total Security coupons online or safely purchase a Bitdefender license from the Dealarious store.
Does A VPN Protect You From Cyber Threats?
Without a doubt, yes. VPNs protect you from if not all, most of the cyber threats. At their core, VPNs encrypt data that goes out of your network through them and render it unreadable to anyone without the decryption key.
A VPN ensures that even if any cybercriminal were to eavesdrop on you through any medium, they would still not be able to read any information off you. It also masks your real IP address, adding another layer of security to your devices.
If you already use a VPN, then it is well and good. If you plan to buy one, you will find many VPN services available in the market. Choose a user-friendly, reliable, and budget-friendly VPN that meets your needs.
Conclusion
Today, data is precious, and no organization desires its confidential data to get into the wrong hands. They know the severe consequences and have implemented decent cyber protection mechanisms at their workplaces.
However, whenever employees work from networks other than their office networks, there are high chances of cyberattacks through their personal or public networks. Hence, it is imperative that you take all cyber safety measures even when working from home to ensure your organization’s data is always safe and secure.
